***UPDATE***Additional details on last night’s accident are now available. The accident happened when the driver of a white 2005 Ford Ranger that was eastbound on the highway lost control on the icy roadway. That vehicle spun sideways in the road. The pickup and truck tractor collided just east of the overpass. Initial information is that the front of the truck struck the right side of the pickup. The eastbound tractor/trailer then went southeast across the main lanes of IH-40 before crossing the access road, striking signs and trees in front of businesses at the intersection of IH-40’s access road and Waldorf Street, then hitting several parked cars and the west side of the Outback Steakhouse at 7101 W. IH-40. Damage to the building was extensive. At this point, it appears that 14 vehicles including the truck and pickup in the initial collision were damaged. The truck tractor hit the restroom area of the business, and there were no injuries reported inside the restaurant. The passenger in the truck, a 49 year old male, was taken to the hospital but later released. The driver, a WM 66 listing an Ontario address, had to be extricated from the heavily damaged cab. AFD was able to free him at about 10:10 PM, and he was transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Initial investigation indicates that the primary cause of this accident was the pickup driver’s speed under the road conditions, which caused the first collision. The driver of the pickup was the only occupant and declined medical attention at the scene. No charges have been filed, this incident remains under investigation.
PHOTO: APD Crime Prevention Unit
